


Grave Clothes

by cashemeare



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 12:07:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29225202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cashemeare/pseuds/cashemeare
Summary: Light has finally got rid of his rival L, but is still hearing his voice months after his death. Although he doesn't plan too, he starts to make a habit of visiting L's grave. A one-shot.Probably ooc because Light experiences some emotions....maybe even...regret?
Relationships: L/Yagami Light
Comments: 1
Kudos: 32





	Grave Clothes

It had been a few days since Light had declared victory in front of L. Rather, in front of where L was buried. Light sat at his desk tapping his pen erratically against the wood grain. Everything had happened exactly as he'd predicted it would, the rest of the task force now looking to him as the new "L". Light smirked into his hand at the thought that he had risen even higher than his father, the chief of police, in seniority and respect. 

He rose from the chair and stretched his arm out to toss an apple to Ryuk, who, since the loss of L had almost seemed to be moping. 

"Cheer up Ryuk, I said things were still going to be interesting now.", Light said as he exited. Pausing to throw on a jacket and don his shoes, Light left his apartment as twilight fell over the world. The apartment was new, Light having just signed the lease with Misa. The complex was fancier than one he would have been able to afford on his own, although living with Misa had its own share of challenges. She just didn't understand. These days Light wasn't sure there was a person alive who fully understood, the one man who might have been able to properly appreciate his work currently lying under damp earth.

He strode across the green in front of the apartment complex, Ryuk trailing behind him. The world around Light was quiet, the early evening air pleasingly breezing across his face. However, he faltered as he was suddenly hit with a sense of vertigo. Light felt thrust back into the early days, when the notebook and Ryuk had first fallen into his hands. He realized he had walked across part of the route he and Naomi Misora had taken months before. He chuckled as he recalled her fatal look of understanding as he had proclaimed himself Kira. It was the first time he had spoken the words aloud to another person. The power he had felt as he watched her being compelled to walk away had been utterly intoxicating, the first small taste of triumph.

None of that compared with the feeling of Ryuzaki dying in his arms. The wash of emotion that had rushed through his veins as he let the facade slip for a moment and understanding had flooded Ryuzaki's eyes had been the single most alive he had ever felt. No longer human, but a god on earth, he had cradled Ryuzaki as he took his final breath. 

Light looked up to find his feet had taken him to the gates of the cemetery where Ryuzaki lay. It was technically outside of Light's route to headquarters, but a short enough excursion that none of the task force members would find his tardiness suspicious. 

"What's all this now? Going to rub it in?", Ryuk grunted out. He had finished his apple and with it's absence his grumpy mood had returned. 

"Ryuk, you may have been alive for thousands of years, but it's clear to me you've never had vision. And you've certainly never known what it feels like to accomplish that vision." Light snorted. Ryuk continued to trail Light as he made his way through the cemetery, winding through the insignificant headstones until he stopped in front of one with fresh tilled earth. 

Ryuk gazed upon Light, who was facing away from Ryuk towards the grave in question. His shoulders were set, and Ryuk saw that his hands had balled into fists. One might have thought from the back that Light was frowning, but as Ryuk circled him, he saw instead a borderline crazed smile on Light's face. 

"How's it going L? Comfortable?", Light snickered as he spoke, "I dropped by on my way to headquarters. Don't worry it wasn't any inconvenience. It would make me a bad partner if I didn't keep you informed on the status of the Kira case." The sun had dropped low over the horizon, and the last rays of sunlight had illuminated Light's face in an angelic manner. The crazed smile hadn't shifted, but the light had changed its impact. It looked almost benevolent, as Light continued speaking to the grave.

"I wanted to let you know, they've handed over the notebook to me, and I have become the new 'L'. It's fitting isn't it?”, he spit out, “A new 'L' for a new age. The world that you tried so hard to protect is finished!" Light started laughing so hard he doubled over. He shook and shook in his mirth, finally straightening up to deliver one last line to where L lay. 

"You lost at my hands Ryuzaki. My only regret is that you will never be able to witness my new perfect world." His mouth became a hard edge as he turned and started to walk away from the grave. The sudden switch in demeanor was jolting, but Ryuk had seen it enough times for him to be used to it by now. 

"Satisfied?" Ryuk asked, rotating his head like an owl to stare sideways at Light as he walked out of the graveyard towards headquarters. The sun had finally dipped below the land, and the streetlights had come on. 

The look in Light's eyes was unnerving, as if he was seeing something completely different than Ryuk as he stared down the avenue. 

"Not in the slightest.", Light responded. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As summer grew to a close the progress on the Kira case kept slowing down. The task force had made barely any headway in the wake of Ryuzaki's death. There were many reasons they were struggling, the notable absences of Ryuzaki and Watari had left a gaping hole in their team, and the traumatic manner of their deaths weighed on the members. They didn't care to openly admit it, but their fears of dying in a similar manner had only increased, and there was more tension than usual within the ranks. 

Light was happier than he could ever remember being. Now that he had dealt with Ryuzaki he had returned to his old patterns. He continued punishing people and slowly but surely he was beginning to see a shift in the world. Whereas before Kira's supporters had been looked down upon, an upsurge of new followers had appeared steadily in the months following L's death.

It was winter before he returned to Ryuzaki's grave.

There was a fine dusting of snow on the ground, and Light had almost decided against the visit due to his footprints being visible and easily followed. 

"However, no one but you might have thought to keep following me Ryuzaki.", He spoke to the grave before him. "Staying by my side all those months and never finding any true evidence against me must have tormented you. I can move freely again, and no one's the wiser. In fact, the rest of the task force are completely content leaving me to my daily routines, affording me the privacy I need to complete my goal. Even if they did think to keep following me, showing up to your grave would hardly be cause for suspicion. You died in my arms remember? I'm sure they think i'm completely traumatized."

He stood in silence for a few moments, the snowflakes gathering on his eyelashes.

"It's easy again, as it was in the beginning, before you. The task force are my puppets to use as I please. They listen to me without question, I have their full trust."

He laughed low, quick enough that Ryuk almost failed to catch it. 

"Two weeks ago we were devising a new plan to catch Kira. I almost couldn't keep it together. It was so funny! Catch Kira!”, his hand flew up to his face, “I was sitting right there, and then I heard your voice! Clear as day, cutting through Matsuda's idiocy and my father's naivety, urging them, us, to not lose sight of the fact that one of our main suspects was sitting right within our midst. I almost responded to it.", He shook his head, dislodging a few flurries, "But those idiots conversations continued and no one remarked upon it. I forgot about it until the other day, when our plan had failed and Kira had continued his judgments.”, his lip curled in disgust. “I heard you again, pondering if we had overlooked a way that I could possibly be responsible, since our plan had had a few holes that I could have exploited. Hah! You were about eight percent sure. This time I was certain of it! It was your voice Ryuzaki!" His voice had raised as he spoke, until he was yelling at the silent headstone.

"It was your voice, as if you were standing right next to me. How was it your voice! You're dead! I killed you!" Light surged forward to grip the sides of Ryuzaki's grave, almost trembling as he held himself up, "You no longer EXIST because of me. I became YOUR god!" He released the grave and staggered back a few feet, composing himself. He straightened, and began to walk away, moving a few feet before turning back to the headstone to say, "I thought if you got some sleep you would finally shut the fuck up."

The snow had continued falling, and the place where Light's hands had been were noticeably shallower in snow than the rest of the headstone. Light gave it one more look before he walked back up it and wiped away the remainder of the snow that had accumulated on the grave until Ryuzaki's name was visible. Light remained looking at it until it was obscured again.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The year passed quickly, without preamble. To outsiders Light Yagami was nothing more than a quiet, serious guy who somehow happened to be dating the famous Misa Amane. His day-to-day life was a checklist he dutifully completed. Exceptionally boring. 

Light stared out of the window of his apartment as Misa talked in the background. Ryuk floated in the corner munching on an apple as he surveyed the scene. Although Ryuk seemingly remained indifferent to the actions taken by the current owner of his Death Note, he had observed a shift in Light throughout the last few months. He was getting bolder, more reckless, and Ryuk couldn't help but think this newfound bravado was due to the late Ryuzaki. 

“-and then tomorrow we can visit the shrine together! As a real couple! Wouldn't that be wonderful Light?”, Misa finished, draping herself across Light’s lap and pulling his attention from the passerby. 

Light turned to face her, his characteristic soft smile coming onto his face, “Of course dear. We have to maintain a semblance of normalcy and the shrine visit will be just the way to do that.”, he shifted her off his lap and stood to grab his jacket and scarf, “im feeling restless however, I'm going to take a walk before bed.” He ignored her as she tried to persuade him to stay home, and shut the door in her face as he walked out into the hallway of their apartment building. Ryuk had followed him, and upon the closing of the door the smile had melted off Light’s face.

“That’s better.”, Ryuk said in his gravelly voice, “That’s the face of a god!”, he howled in laughter as Light’s expression grew even darker.

“Shut up Ryuk.”, Light muttered. 

Ryuk remained quiet as they walked through the streets, few cars passing them. It was very late and anyone not partying would be in bed right now. Light continued steadily, and after a few turns it became clear where they were headed. 

“Should I be offended?”, Ryuk, asked as the cemetery came into view, “you’d rather talk to a dead guy than to me? You know who should actually be offended is Misa-”

Light whirled around, “Talk to you? About what? You’ve never been a friend to me.”

“Oh and he was?”, Ryuk thumbed towards Ryuzaki’s grave.

Light didn't respond, the silence stretching as the two looked to see who would break first. It turned out to be Ryuk, who started to laugh so hard he looked to be crying, if Shinigami were capable of tears. 

“Oh this is too much! Hey Light, have you ever heard the joke about the guy who killed his only friend? Here it goes like this--”

“He wasn't my friend either!”, Light cut him off, “If he was my friend he would have understood why I'm doing what I'm doing. That this world is ugly and filthy and, and,...”

“Empty?”, Ryuk guessed.

Light didn't respond as they stopped in front of L’s grave. His face, usually impassive, contained a bitter sadness. The moon above them was one phase away from full, but still bestowed more than enough light to see. The graveyard was well-maintained, and many headstones sported flowers or offerings. The new year being around the corner had made the cemetery more active than usual, and Light hadn't had the chance to be alone with Ryuzaki for some time. Well, as alone as Light ever was with Ryuk constantly hovering. 

Suddenly, Light felt rain drops on his hands. He looked up into the sky expecting to see cloud cover on what had been a previously clear night. Instead he was faced with the moon, no obstacle between them to obstruct it’s gaze. Bewildered, he raised a hand to touch his face, just below his eye.

“Im...crying?”, he wiped a tear, “Why am I crying? St-stop crying.”

The drops paid no attention to his voice, and fell at even greater speed. His facial expression had not changed, impassivity giving way to surprise. Ryuk too, seemed ill at ease, and started to float back towards the entrance. There was nothing in Light’s frame to suggest he was crying, no shake to his shoulders or tremble in his voice.

After an indeterminable amount of time, Light reached to feel that his face had dried again. The moon had continued its course along the sky and was substantially nearer to the horizon than it had been when they had entered the cemetery. He looked up to see a neighboring headstone with a statue of an angel adorning it. As he looked, his gaze steeled and his eyebrows drew together. 

“You’re dead right now because of your own foolishness Ryuzaki. You could have joined me! Together we could have righted this hellish world, we could have become kings! How could you not understand that I had to fix this world! Why were so obsessed with stopping me! You know the truth Ryuzaki, you know that most humans are a stain upon this planet, a waste of space.”

He walked even closer to the stone, a violent light seeming to appear around him, “I beat you at your own game. And you thought you were so smart! To think that you thought I was your friend!”, his eyes darkened, “A god does not need friends. I have a goal to achieve, a holy mission, to cleanse this earth of ugliness and evil! Everything I do is for the greater good!”

“If you knew I was Kira as you claimed, you should have killed me when you had the chance! All those people are dead because of you! How does that feel Ryuzaki? Do you have enough space in your casket for all your regrets?”, Light leaned low to the stone, lips almost brushing the engraved name, “How does it feel to know you were the only one who could have stopped me?”

He moved to rest his forehead against the stone, slumping forward as the strength left his body. After a pause he turned so that his back was now leaning against it, his knees drawn up to his chest and his head hanging low. His eyes closed, and even through the jacket he wore he could feel the cold from the headstone seep through to touch his spine. He imagined he could see down past the dirt he was sitting on, to look directly into the box that held L’s body. Light knew that logically it would be partially decomposed, but the image his brain conjured up was how L had looked on the roof of headquarters during that storm. He had climbed the stairs of the building to find Ryuzaki standing within a downpour, and the thought had come unbidden to Light’s mind that L looked to be strangely unconcerned as winds whipped around him. Then Ryuzaki had suddenly turned to make eye contact with him, and Light was sure that Ryuzaki had just peeled every layer of subterfuge away to stare directly into Light’s soul. Then the moment passed and a resigned look had crept onto L’s face.

It was this unconcerned expression that Light imagined L to be making now, as he lay resting. The thought did not give him the peace he had expected. He slowly made his way to standing, and reached back to lay a hand lightly on L’s grave. 

“Keep watching me from wherever you are friend.”, the words surprising Light as they left his mouth. He wrapped his coat tighter around himself and strode out of the cemetery, never once looking back.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed! Feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts!


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